Quick-release fastener



Aug. 14, 1951 c. L. ASH 2,563,809

QUICK-REILEASE FASTENER Filed Aug. 20, 1948 [6 (1L1; OF L f Z Z kATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Grantedunder the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G.757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes without thepayment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a buckle or fastening device forstraps, bands and the like, and has for one of its objects to provide aquickrelease buckle which may be moved to inoperative position by merelypulling upwardly on the free end of the strap with which the buckle isassociated.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision'of a buckle ofsimplified construction, comprising two separable elements which may bestamped from sheet or strip stock.

A further object of the invention consists in providing a buckle whichwill automatically secure a strap by merely pulling the free end of thestrap in the proper direction.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of asimplified buckle composed of two separable loops, or frame members,which will serve to clamp a strap without the use of perforations in thelatter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of the buckle in clampingposition, the strapbeing shown in dotted out line;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the buckle per se in released position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the buckle in associationwith a strap and showing the buckle in released position; I

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, showing the buckle in the process ofbeing reset;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the buckle in clamping relationto its strap; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section View taken on the line 6-45 of Figure2.

The buckle of the present invention is relatively simple and inexpensiveand comprises merely two separate and distinct frame members, indicatedby the numerals I and 2.

The frame member I is of polygonal form, comprising side members 3 andangular end members 4, and these end members are provided on theirinterior with notches 5. The end members ll are also provided withbearing portions 6, for cooperation with the complementary frame member2 in a manner which will appear later on.

The frame member 2 is also of generally rec- 2 a I tangular form andcomprises the longitudinal side members "I and end members 3, and one ofthe side members I is provided with extensions 9, which limit themovement of the frame member 2 in one direction with respect to theframe I member I.

The buckle in assembled relation to its strap is shown in Figures 3, 4and 5; the strap being indicated generally by the numeral It. It will beunderstood, of course, that this buckle may be employed with practicallyany type of strap required to be tightened, but in the presentillustration the strap I0 is indicatedin connection with an Armypackboard II, provided with slots I2, through which the strap II?passes. In this particular illustration the strap I0 is provided with apermanent loop I3, which encircles the side bar 3 of the frame member Iadjacent to the bearing members .6. This loop also encloses the lowerside bar 3 of the frame member 2, as clearly I indicated in Figures 3and 4. The free end I4 of strap end I4 is drawn to the right (Fig. 4),but

before this operation is performed, it is necessary to change thepositions of they frame members I and 2 from the positions shown inFigure 3 to substantially the positions shown in Figure 4, that is tosay, the frame member I must be swung over the frame member 2, so as tobring them into substantially horizontally parallel relationship withthe member 2 above the member I. In this position the strap end I4 maybe drawn to the right (Fig. 4), and by so doing the end bars 8 of theframe 2 press on the bearing surfaces 8 of the frame member I, pressingthe same forcibly against the free end I4 of the strap It, therebysecurely clamping the same against the body of the strap, as shown inFigures 1 and 5.

To release the strap, it is only necessary to pull upwardly on its freeend it. This movement will raise the frame member I from its clampingposition and cause the two members to assume positions substantially asshown in Figure 3, so that the strap is entirely free to be moved forreleasing goods or for any other purpose in connection with which thestrap may be used. If it is again desired to place the strap inoperative position and clamp the same, the frame members i and 2 areagain reset, as indicated in Figure 4, so that a pull on the end It ofthe strap will cause the end bars 8 of the frame 2 to apply pressure toor strip stock; that a clamping action is provided Without mutilatingthe strap by providing a series of perforations or by using serrationson the edges of the buckle; that tension on the strap is distributedequally across its entire'width; that the buckle may be releasedfromclamp'ingposition by simply using one hand to pull upwardly on thefree end of the strap; and that, 'afte'r'the buckle is reset, it isautomatically moved to clamping position by a simple"pull-'onthe freeend of the strap in a :Vdirection paralleling the plane of the framemember. 7

While-"the structure "of the illustrated buckle has been describedinconsiderable detail, it is to be understood thatvfari oiis changes maybe made in structural features without in any waydeparting from thespirit of the invention, and it is intended that allsuch changes beincluded within the scope of'the'appendd claims.

I claiin: I 1. In combination, a strap, a quickly releasable buckleComprising inner and outer substantially rectangularframerneinbersforined of side and end'barsftheinner faces 'of the endbars of the outer member beingprovided with complementary notchesproviding an overall-internal length inthe outer frame; greater "thanthe external length of the inner frame, a loop on the strap encirclingajdjglcent side bars, one on each frame, the free end"of ;thestrapyheing threaded around the oppos'itejside bar of the inner frame,and bearingfnembers extending from the ends of the side bars of theouter fra me to the bases'of said notches, whereby the end bars of theinner frame are" adapted to engage one orithe other of the bearingmembers dependen upon the relative positioning of the ffa'rnefme'mbers'.

2. In combinati'ohfastrapfa'quickly-releasable buckle comprising inner"amplifier substantially rectangular frame niei'nbrsf'dimd of side andend bars, the inrferfa theend parser the outer member being'providedwith complementary notches providing an over-all internal length in theouter frame greater than the external length of the inner frame, a loopon the strap encircling adjacent side bars, one on each frame, the freeend of the strap being threaded around the opposite side bar of theinner-frame, and a pairof arcuate bearing membrsoneach of the innersides of the outer frame, each bearing member extending from an end ofits side bar to the base of the adjacent notch, whereby the embers ofthe inner frame are adapted to engage one orthe other of the bearingmembers dependent upon the relative positioning of the frame members.

In combination, a strap, a quickly-releasable buckle comprising innerand outer substantially rectangular frame members formed of side and endbars, the inner faces of the end bars of the outer member being providedwith complementary notches providing an over all internal length in theouter frame gr'eater than the external length of the inner frame, a loopon'th'e strap encircling-adjacent-side bars, one oneach'frame, the freeend of thestrap being threaded around the opposite side bar of the innerframefbearing inembersextendlng from the-ends of the side bars oftheouter frame to the bases of said notches, and extensionson the endsof the inner'frame adapted to preyent-theihrier fram'efrompassingentirely through the outerframe in one direc tion, whereby the end barsof'the inner-frame are adapted to engage one or the other of the bearingmembers dependent upon the relative positioning of the frame-members; 71V V GLIFWGRDL. ASK.

sweetness-"s ren The'followingreferences are of r-ecor'd in the fileof-this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Name I 1 Date I Phelps quiyio, 1866 Ritte'r Nov.11,1924

Lane Jan; 1,1929

FOREIGN PATENTS Ccuntry Number N timber 135,139

